U.S. Customs and Border Protection ◆ DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 19 CFR Part 12 CBP Dec. 16–23 RIN 1515–AE19 IMPORT RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED ON CERTAIN ARCHAEOLOGICAL MATERIAL FROM EGYPT AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security; Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This final rule amends the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations to reflect the imposition of import re- strictions on certain archaeological material from the Arab Republic of Egypt (Egypt). These restrictions are being imposed pursuant to an agreement between the United States and Egypt that has been en- tered into under the authority of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act in accordance with the 1970 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Con- vention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. The final rule amends CBP regulations by adding Egypt to the list of countries for which a bilateral agreement has been entered into for imposing cul- tural property import restrictions. The final rule also contains the designated list that describes the types of archaeological material to which the restrictions apply. DATES: Effective December 5, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For legal aspects, Lisa L. Burley, Chief, Cargo Security, Carriers and Restricted Merchandise Branch, Regulations and Rulings, Office of Trade, (202) 325–0030. For operational aspects, William Scopa, Branch Chief, Partner Government Agency Branch, Trade Policy and 1 2 CUSTOMS BULLETIN AND DECISIONS, VOL. 50, NO. 51, DECEMBER 21, 2016 Programs, Office of Trade, (202) 863–6554, William.R.Scopa@ cbp.dhs.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The value of cultural property, whether archaeological or ethnologi- cal in nature, is immeasurable. Such items often constitute the very essence of a society and convey important information concerning a people’s origin, history, and traditional setting. The importance and popularity of such items regrettably makes them targets of theft, encourages clandestine looting of archaeological sites, and results in their illegal export and import. The United States shares in the international concern for the need to protect endangered cultural property. The appearance in the United States of stolen or illegally exported artifacts from other countries where there has been pillage has, on occasion, strained our foreign and cultural relations. This situation, combined with the concerns of museum, archaeological, and scholarly communities, was recognized by the President and Congress. It became apparent that it was in the national interest for the United States to join with other countries to control illegal trafficking of such articles in international commerce. The United States joined international efforts and actively partici- pated in deliberations resulting in the 1970 United Nations Educa- tional, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (823 U.N.T.S. 231 (1972)). U.S. acceptance of the 1970 UNESCO Convention was codi- fied into U.S. law as the ‘‘Convention on Cultural Property Imple- mentation Act’’ (Pub. L. 97–446, 19 U.S.C. 2601 et seq.) (the Act). This was done to promote U.S. leadership in achieving greater interna- tional cooperation towards preserving cultural treasures that are of importance to the nations from where they originate and contribute to greater international understanding of our common heritage. Since the Act entered into force, import restrictions have been imposed on the archaeological and ethnological materials of a number of State Parties to the 1970 UNESCO Convention. These restrictions have been imposed as a result of requests for protection received from those nations. More information on import restrictions can be found on the Cultural Property Protection Web site (http://eca.state.gov/ cultural-heritage-center/cultural-property-protection). This rule announces that import restrictions are now being imposed on certain archaeological material from Egypt. 3 CUSTOMS BULLETIN AND DECISIONS, VOL. 50, NO. 51, DECEMBER 21, 2016 Determinations Under 19 U.S.C. 2602(a)(1), the United States must make certain determinations before entering into an agreement to impose import restrictions under 19 U.S.C. 2602(a)(2). On November 14, 2014, the Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs, Depart- ment of State, made the determinations required under the statute with respect to certain archaeological material originating in Egypt that are described in the designated list set forth below in this docu- ment. These determinations include the following: (1) That the cul- tural patrimony of Egypt is in jeopardy from the pillage of archaeo- logical material representing Egypt’s cultural heritage dating from the Predynastic period (5,200 B.C.) through 1517 A.D. (19 U.S.C. 2602(a)(1)(A)); (2) that the Egyptian government has taken measures consistent with the Convention to protect its cultural patrimony (19 U.S.C. 2602(a)(1)(B)); (3) that import restrictions imposed by the United States would be of substantial benefit in deterring a serious situation of pillage and remedies less drastic are not available (19 U.S.C. 2602(a)(1)(C)); and (4) that the application of import restric- tions as set forth in this final rule is consistent with the general interests of the international community in the interchange of cul- tural property among nations for scientific, cultural, and educational purposes (19 U.S.C. 2602(a)(1)(D)). The Assistant Secretary also found that the material described in the determinations meets the statutory definition of ‘‘archaeological material of the state party’’ (19 U.S.C. 2601(2)). The Agreement The United States and Egypt entered into a bilateral agreement on November 30, 2016, pursuant to the provisions of 19 U.S.C. 2602(a)(2). The agreement enables the promulgation of import re- strictions on categories of archaeological material representing Egypt’s cultural heritage dating from the Predynastic period (5,200 B.C.) through 1517 A.D. A list of the categories of archaeological material subject to the import restrictions is set forth later in this document. Restrictions and Amendment to the Regulations In accordance with the Agreement, importation of material desig- nated below is subject to the restrictions of 19 U.S.C. 2606 and § 12.104g(a) of the CBP regulations (19 CFR 12.104g(a)) and will be restricted from entry into the United States unless the conditions set forth in 19 U.S.C. 2606 and § 12.104c of the CBP regulations (19 CFR 4 CUSTOMS BULLETIN AND DECISIONS, VOL. 50, NO. 51, DECEMBER 21, 2016 12.104c) are met. CBP is amending § 12.104g(a) of the CBP Regula- tions (19 CFR 12.104g(a)) to indicate that these import restrictions have been imposed. Designated List of Archaeological Material of Egypt The bilateral agreement between the United States and Egypt includes, but is not limited to, the categories of objects described in the designated list set forth below. These categories of objects are subject to the import restrictions set forth above, in accordance with the above explained applicable law and the regulation amended in this document (19 CFR 12.104(g)(a)). The import restrictions include complete examples of objects and fragments thereof. The archaeological material represent the following periods and cultures dating from 5,200 B.C. through 1517 A.D.: Predynastic, Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Early Islamic through the Mamluk Dynasty. Many of the ancient place-names associated with the region of Egypt can be found in J. Baines and J. Malek, Cultural Atlas of Ancient Egypt (New York, 2000). I. Stone A. Sculpture 1. Architectural elements, from temples, tombs, palaces, commemo- rative monuments, and domestic architecture, including columns, capitals, bases, lintels, jambs, friezes, pilasters, engaged columns, mihrabs (prayer niches), fountains, and blocks from walls, floors, and ceilings. Often decorated in relief with ornamental Pharaonic, Greco- Roman, and Coptic motifs and inscriptions. The most common archi- tectural stones are limestone, sandstone and granite. 2. Statues, large- and small-scale, including human, animal, and hybrid figures with a human body and animal head. Human figures may be standing, usually with the left foot forward, seated on a block or on the ground, kneeling, or prone. Figures in stone may be sup- ported by a slab of stone at the back. Greco-Roman examples use traditional Egyptian poses with Hellenistic modeling. The most popu- lar stones are limestone, granite, basalt, sandstone, and diorite, and many other types of stone are used as well. 3. Relief sculpture, large- and small-scale, including Predynastic greywacke cosmetic palettes, limestone wall reliefs depicting scenes of daily life and rituals, and steles and plaques in a variety of stones for funerary and commemorative purposes. 4. Greco-Roman and Coptic tombstones. 5 CUSTOMS BULLETIN AND DECISIONS, VOL. 50, NO. 51, DECEMBER 21, 2016 B. Vessels and Containers Includes conventional shapes such as bowls, cups, jars, and lamps, and vessels having the form of human, animal, hybrid, plant, hiero- glyphic sign, and combinations or parts thereof. C. Funerary Objects and Equipment 1. Sarcophagi and coffins, with separate lid, either in the form of a large rectangular box, or human-shaped and carved with modeled human features. Both types are often decorated inside and outside with incised images and inscriptions. 2. Canopic shrines, in the form of a box with space inside for four canopic jars. 3. Canopic jars with lids in the form of human or animal heads. A full set includes four jars. Sometimes these jars are dummies, carved from a single piece of stone with no interior space. D. Objects of Daily Use Including chests and boxes, headrests, writing and painting equip- ment, games and game pieces.